Thread: I nicked my razor

Originally Posted by GaiusValeriusPulcher

Seriously, you can't give me any DIY advice at all? I've only had it like 2 weeks, I don't want to have to use my free re-honing quite yet.

Please, don't bite off your nose just to spite your face.

There is no DIY fix for this. it the nick is bad enough to damage your strop, you need to send it back for honing NOW!

Don't rinse your blade off between strokes. Wipe the lather off on a towel or a tissue or a damp sponge. Only rinse your razor one time after your shave is done and be especially careful to not touch the faucet with your edge.
Namaste,
Morty -_-

Since you are asking for DIY advice, I'll share an experience I had that may help you decide what to do.

From your pics, it looks like the ding on your razor is on the very very very tip of the edge, and also the tip profile of your particular razor is a lot more rounded at the top than at the bottom. I had a razor with a similar tip profile, and was getting irritation in the valleys of my neck when I wasn't super careful. So I reground the bottom edge of my tip to be more rounded ie: similar in profile to the top / spine-side curvature. I used a 3" long soft arkansas pocket stone and just honed away the corner using a breadknife type stroke until the tip curvature was a tiny bit more rounded. (Use the edge of the hone since it makes a groove.)

Be careful about rounding the tip profile too much. If the edge starts too far back from the apex of the tip then it's a lot harder to shave hairs growing at the base of the nostrils and to pick up stray hairs in the neck valleys during clean-up passes.

If you are really really really careful you won't touch the actual edge with the stone (I didn't get that lucky even though I tried to be very careful). If you mess up and hit the edge even 1 time lightly, you'll have to rehone the tip - including resetting the bevel if you touched it anything more than super lightly. So you may get lucky and not have to use your free honing certificate yet - but you may have to use it anyways and now not like the new tip profile on top of that...

ps: I'd send it in. I wouldn't look at it as "wasting" your free honing. I'd look at it as getting a "re-do" on making a classic beginner mistake. I also think you are very lucky that the nick is small enough that a standard honing will probably take it out of the edge - since I believe "chip repair" is typically a restoration-type of service that is not included in the standard honing service prices.

What about one of those strop chemicals? Since it's such a small nick I feel like one of those could work. I actually tried it out on the cloth strop and that actually did help quite a bit. What exactly do each of the chemicals do and do you guys think that might work? If it did it would be a pretty cheap, easy solution.

What about one of those strop chemicals? Since it's such a small nick I feel like one of those could work. I actually tried it out on the cloth strop and that actually did help quite a bit. What exactly do each of the chemicals do and do you guys think that might work? If it did it would be a pretty cheap, easy solution.

Go to the Wiki for advice on getting clear photos:

Category:Photography - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Otherwise, the advice you're getting is sound. If you haven't honed before, have an expert do it. Send it out.

If the razor is expensive DON'T do it yourself. My advice is to get a new hone, flat it, buy an inexpensive razor and learn how to hone. No offense but why shave with a straight razor if you don't know how to hone it yourself? It's really not rocket science =) Practise a bit with the cheap razor...The only way to repair a nicked blade is to expose new flat metal or flatten it out. Send it out by all means to an experienced person but once you learn how to hone it'll save you lots of $. Insured shipping, taxes, honing fee...

If there is a nick or chip on your blade, the ONLY thing that will take care of it is for it to be re-honed. No chemical will take care of any nick or chip on carbon steel & retain the edge. I'm not sure where you got that, but get rid of that thought.

I agree with Connor on this one, what's the point if I can't take care of it myself. Actually, I've run the blade on the cloth strop and now it doesn't damage my leather strop anymore. Just shaved with it for the second time since the chip and so long as I avoid using the very tip (which I do anyways because that's a sure way to cut yourself) it's fine. I think I'll wait to send it in until the blade's dull or it has a more dangerous chip.

Originally Posted by GaiusValeriusPulcher

I agree with Connor on this one, what's the point if I can't take care of it myself. Actually, I've run the blade on the cloth strop and now it doesn't damage my leather strop anymore. Just shaved with it for the second time since the chip and so long as I avoid using the very tip (which I do anyways because that's a sure way to cut yourself) it's fine. I think I'll wait to send it in until the blade's dull or it has a more dangerous chip.

The entire length of a straight razor's edge is meant to be used, but i'm not going to debate with you. After viewing your pictures, only the bevel appears to be damaged at the tip. If you have Lynn's video, you have a good baseline to work off of & then there's the wiki...educate yourself. Pick up a 4k/8k Norton stone and by all means go for it & learn to hone...just educate yourself BEFORE you put that good blade to anything other than your face or a strop. I'm a do it yourselfer as well, so I understand your wanting to learn it all...but you should listen to folks who have the experience. When we recommend a less expensive blade to practice on, we have a reason why...there's a honing learning curve & the blade suffers. We aren't going to lead you astray, we try to treat you newer guys like lil' brothers & want you to enjoy the experience, but most of all learn it properly. So when I say you must not be shaving properly...you probably aren't. The heal & toe of a straight is meant to be used...beginning to use a straight razor is a sure way to cut yourself if you try to wing it versus educating yourself first on how to use it.

Where are you from anyway? There could be someone close to you who could help you out...

Scott

Originally Posted by shooter74743

The entire length of a straight razor's edge is meant to be used, but i'm not going to debate with you. After viewing your pictures, only the bevel appears to be damaged at the tip. If you have Lynn's video, you have a good baseline to work off of & then there's the wiki...educate yourself. Pick up a 4k/8k Norton stone and by all means go for it & learn to hone...just educate yourself BEFORE you put that good blade to anything other than your face or a strop. I'm a do it yourselfer as well, so I understand your wanting to learn it all...but you should listen to folks who have the experience. When we recommend a less expensive blade to practice on, we have a reason why...there's a honing learning curve & the blade suffers. We aren't going to lead you astray, we try to treat you newer guys like lil' brothers & want you to enjoy the experience, but most of all learn it properly. So when I say you must not be shaving properly...you probably aren't. The heal & toe of a straight is meant to be used...beginning to use a straight razor is a sure way to cut yourself if you try to wing it versus educating yourself first on how to use it.

Where are you from anyway? There could be someone close to you who could help you out...

Scott

Well, I'm getting all the hairs and not cutting myself (except where I have zits and it's unavoidable), so I can't be too far off. What kind of razor would you reccommend for training for honing? A cheap e-bay one? I know you guys hate those, but my current razor is the cheapest one any of the websites you guys suggest have. Also, I spend most of my year in Williamsburg but occasionally get stuck in Purcellville/Leesburg, Virginia.